168 Tasting Notes

84

My friend got this at the SF Tea Festival. It said something about walnuts, but I am unclear whether that’s an ingredient or one of the flavor notes. She’s allergic and wasn’t going to take any chances.

Oh wow, I taste a honey note and something nutty. There’s a slight vegetal note too. I find it a little odd that this says it’s an oolong tea on a cache of their website (site is down; I used Google cache), but the note with the bag says caffeine free. I wonder if the gaba in this will calm me down. I’m usually calm anyway. Anyway, it’s very tasty.

Flavors: Honey, Nutty, Vegetal

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 0 sec 2 g 16 OZ / 473 ML
Todd

I honestly don’t notice the calming effect. Perhaps if I were actually nervous or drank some before bed I could tell.

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54

This was with my samples at the SF Tea Festival.

It gives off a strong coconut smell while brewing. Oops, I steeped it five minutes instead of four.

Hmm, there is a strong coconut flavor, but it’s kind of sour somehow. It has a nutty note too. That sourness is throwing me off. It’s otherwise pretty good.

Flavors: Coconut, Nutty, Sour

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec 3 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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82

This is a fine English breakfast tea.

The keemun they use is really nice. It’s a bit malty with a subtle sweetness.

Flavors: Malt, Sweet, Tea

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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78
drank Pure Darjeeling Tea by Glenburn Tea
168 tasting notes

Another sampler from the SF Tea Festival. Even with all the Festival samplers taken to my office, my home collection still needs a good deal of organization / sipping down.

Ooh, that is a smooth black tea. It’s got a malty flavor. It says on the packet, “best drunk without milk,” but I would be tempted to try it with almond milk if I had more.

I also taste a slight strawberry note, and there’s some astringency. This is a fine (pyramid) bag of tea.

Flavors: Malt, Strawberry, Tea

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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79

I got a box of this with my sampler bag at the SF Tea Festival last year.
It smells like black tea.

It tastes like black tea. That’s about it. But it’s pleasant and bright, not very astringent. I’ll bet it’s great iced too. It would probably do well with milk too, but it’s nice as-is.

Surprisingly good for bagged CTC black tea!

Flavors: Tea

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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90

I got a sample of this at the SF Tea Festival. They don’t sell it or even mention it on their website.

It’s very light and smooth, not bitter at all that I can tell. It’s earthy and vegetal, and I can taste a bit of asparagus. It’s pretty much the perfect sencha. I would like more of this!

If you’re listening, Tsuru no Maru: Make more please. もっとください!

Flavors: Asparagus, Earth, Vegetal

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 0 sec 3 g 16 OZ / 473 ML
Mastress Alita

This sencha makes me do the Saboriman Kantarou face.

Todd

It’s really that good.

derk

I wish a can of rotten cat food didn’t explode all over my teabag (or me or my kitchen) as I was preparing hot water to brew this. If Tsuru No Maru offer it for sale, I will buy some. Have either of you received an email update?

Mastress Alita

I have not! I would be willing to break hiatus to buy this one, too…

Todd

I haven’t either. Wow, that is a senchastrophe.

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78
drank Sympa-Tea by Kikoko
168 tasting notes

Since I liked the THC-free sample, I picked up a sample of the real product. While brewing, it smells of turmeric, ginger, and something else I didn’t pick up in the sample, probably marijuana.

I was right. The strong turmeric and ginger flavors mostly mask the THC flavor. I get a bit of a THC note at the end of the sip and in the aftertaste.

It says “feel the effects in 30-90 minutes.” Yup, starting to feel it somewhere in that range, lost track of time, lol. This is the one designed for pain. They have another one designed for sleep, but since I had already sampled this flavor, I went for it to compare.

The THC aftertaste lingers a long time, much longer than the other flavors. Huh, it’s getting harder to type. I think I’ll be going to bed early. This stuff makes me sleepy mostly. A bit floaty too.

Flavors: Ginger

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 4 min, 0 sec 6 g 16 OZ / 473 ML
derk

Sweet dreams :)

Todd

I had an odd dream, not bad. Slept great. :)

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78
drank Sympa-Tea by Kikoko
168 tasting notes

Since I picked up this cannabis-free blend at the SF Tea Festival, I wonder who else has reviewed it. Oh look, only two other tasting notes: The two people I went to the festival with.

The brew smells of turmeric and ginger, mmm. It also tastes mainly of turmeric and ginger, with a hint of sweetness. Oh, that’s the licorice root, mmm.

Knowing what THC can taste like in edibles (it’s pretty intense), this combination of flavors is probably designed in part to ameliorate it. I would definitely try to THC-infused version of this. I would also enjoy it with coconut milk, the way Sara had it.

Flavors: Ginger, Licorice

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 6 g 16 OZ / 473 ML
Mastress Alita

I think if they had a CBD-only version, I’d be willing to try that (I don’t have to tell you how my body responds to THC, heh).

Todd

Left another note, this time for the real product.

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84
drank Chocolate Pu-erh by Numi Organic Tea
168 tasting notes

So, derk was going to send me a few pu-erhs to try. This turned into a sampler box with a huge variety! Thank you!

The brewed tea has a very subtle smell, possibly the pu-erh.
Ooh, subtle pu-erh flavors and subtle cocoa flavor. Of course, I prefer a stronger cocoa flavor. looks at chocolate bar on his desk with 90% cocoa solids Still, I like how the flavors are in balance, and it’s pretty amazing for a bag of tea I could pick up in a grocery store. Mmm.

Flavors: Chocolate

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 45 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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65
drank Chocolate Moroccan Mint by 52teas
168 tasting notes

It smells very minty, with only a hint of chocolate, which I find a bit discouraging. The mint smells like spearmint, which is encouraging.

It tastes strongly of spearmint, with sadly a small note of chocolate at the end of the sip. I am a fan of chocolate. This is a good Moroccan mint, but without much chocolate flavor, it disappoints me. Next time I’ll try it mixed with Chocolate Stout from TeaSource.

Flavors: Chocolate, Spearmint

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Todd

It’s good with the added chocolate stout (4 tsp lol). Chocolate and spearmint and just a hint of the apple sweetness.

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Bio

I have enjoyed various teas most of my life, but have recently started exploring higher-end teas. Still, plain houjicha (loose-leaf or bagged) makes me feel like I’m in Japan.

Location

Boulder Creek CA

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